Lift truck



April 2, 1935. A. F. cALLlsoN LIFT TRUCK Filed Aug. 10, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wm .S www vE April 2, 193.5. A. F. cALLlsoN LIFT TRUCK Filed Aug. lO, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nm kwh Patented Apr. 2, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT vOFFICE Y f QtLlF'r'rRUCK Abner F.V Callison, New York, N. Y. Application August 1o, 1934, serial No. 739,346

' f freising..Y (o1. 254-92) This invention relates to lift trucks and; among other objects, aims to provide an improvedmotor operated lift truck especially adapted to be used in transferring containers such as loaded' skids and LCL'freight containers from a truck or vehicle to a railway car, orfrom a railway car to a truck platform, or from a platform'to a truck and vice versa. LCL containers are so designated because they carry less than a carload lot, the abbreviation meaning Less Carload Lot. One of the objects is to'provide a simpliedand very f durable light lift truck of the type adapted to be `transported with a container or containers with-'- outrequiring any extra room on the platform of a motor truck and railway'car and further adapted to be connected to an ordinaryv electrical outlet so as to lift a container ready'to be transferred from and4 to a truck, car orplatform. Another faim is to'provide a lift truck of the type adapted to be drawnby a winch and cable such as is providedv on ysome of the conventional highway vehicles or trucks or by small tractor or commercial lift truck. Other aims andadvantages of the'invention will appear in the'fspecication, when considered in connection with the Vpanying drawings, wherein: f

Fig. 1 is a top plan View partly broken away with vparts shown in section,Y showing a lift truck embodying the invention; e Y

Fig; 2 is a sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end View; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on theline 4-4 Y` 'beam I2 and the housing ofV themotor isj conveniently secured to the rear one` of the brackets. 35

Y of Fig. 2. Y

Referring particularly to thedrawings, thereV is shown a special design of lift truck which is adaptedA to beY rolledunder a skidor a freight container such as the LCL containers commonly used by the railroads, its heightand dimensions being such that it can be rolled freely between theV short legs of such containers either from the sides or from the ends. In this example, the lift truck is shown as being made of structural steel or other metal, and is supported on a plurality of wheels I0 and I I, convenientlyv arranged in pairs, thev wheels VII] being preferably, though notnecessarily, carried byfixed brackets andthe wheels VI I being swiveled, aslclearly shown in Fig. 2. However, any suitable number and ar- 50 rangement of nwheels` may be employed. vThe brackets are supported by transverse inverted channel 'beams 'i2 and I3, respectively, near the front and rear endsof Vthe truck.Y These trans verse channel beams are shown as being connect- 55. 7gg their ends by a of structural angles rIl! accomextending longitudinally ofthe truck and consti# tutingthe side Vmembers of the chassis frame. The anges of the angle members maybe bolted, welded or Votherwise secured to the Webs of the channel members and the construction is suchv l 5 that the whole frame may yield or rack Vslightly when kthe wheels ofthe truck roll over an uneven surface *or floor.

The platform of the truck is shown as consisting of afsheet metal top I5 having integral side 10 flanges I6 slightly spaced from the vertical flanges of vthe side frame members I4 and this platform is preferably supported on a series of transverse channels I1 having their anges'cut'oi at their ends where their webs overlap thewhorizontal ilanges of the side frame members III.v The platform is shown as being guided tov be lifted verz tically by means .of a pair of guide'pinsv I8` each having a flange I9 at Vits upper 'endsecured'to the bottom face of a short flanged channel 'or plate 20 on the' bottom of the platform atfitsopposite ends.- These pins project through guide openings in the transverse channels I 2 and I-3.- This arrangement prevents the platform from being twisted or canted with respect to the chassis frame so that it is free to be lifted by themechanismwhich is about to be described.

The lifting means for the piatfdrm is here shown' as being driven'by `an electric motor 2l rwhich is supoprted by the chassis frame below the platform. Referring tov Fig. 2, there is'shown a pair o1?A depending brackets 22 secured tothe opposite or front'and rear edges of'the channel Similar Vbearing brackets 23` are Ysecured tothe other transverse channel I3 and all of the bracketsA carry a pair of longitudinal shafts extending `from one end to the other of theframe. Each a shaft has a pair of universal joints 25 to permit l4:0 the chassis frame to be racked withOU-t bending 1 them or binding them in their bearings.' Both of Y these shafts are adapted to be driven by the motor through suitable reduction gearing numbered 26, 2l and 28, the arrangementbeing preferablyrsuch 45 that the'gear ratio is 1200:lmore or less. As a Vmatter of fact, themotor may be equipped with by'the storage battery-,of ya motor truckj orvcon- In this example, the two longitudinal shafts 24 are shown ashaving a plurality of heart-shaped lifting cams 29 cooperating with suitable` r antifriction rollers. 38 journalled Vin V'or carried by the supporting channels orA joists Il of the platform. Each shaft is shown as having four lifting cams and they are so arranged that the lifting load is Well distributed. When the cams are' in the position shown in Fig, 3, the platform is lowered and they are adapted to b e turned through a half revolution tofra-ise the platform to its limit. These cams rotate one'direction only; hence the motor does not have to be reversed.

To operate the lifttruck, itis adapted t/ofbeV pushed under a container between its legs and the motor connected to an electrical outlet-whiclris available at nearly all loading stations. In this connection, it is contempiater martire "motori may be either direct current ,or alternating cur-v rent. In some eases, it will be desirable to'install a' direct current motor sothatV itmaybedriven Anected lto any other `source of directA current., I Referring gto Fig. 1, the motorA is shown as having apair of electriccablesl each connected to a take-,11D or'self-winding reel 32 of conventional design, and one having ai plug accessible from one end of the truckrwhile the other isaecessible Y from-the. other end of the truck. However, vit is vcontemplated that onesuchelectric cord may be employed yf orthis? purpose.

After the vtruck is pushed eitherjend first under the container tobe Instead of lifted and conveyed. to or from 'a motor vehicle or platform;` the operatorcan easilyfreach one-'of `the plugs-andY connect it to an electrical outlet.

Then, he can snap en any convenient switch (not shownland keep itV on until the camsV have been turned through-Ya half-revolutiondifting the container-clear ofgthe oorand anyordinary obstacles. f Y

thelift truck andadding considerably Vto the cost 1of it becauseof' the extra power requiredLv as Awell as the size ofthe meten-the lift-truck isadapted ,of we llfknowncommercial lift trucks having their' to be `transferred Vfrom placefto place by means Vown power bv wor dinary small tractors or iby vwinch operated cables with which some motor 'vehicles or trucksare equipped. For this purpose; the lift truck is designed to be operatedfrom space whichis equal to the size of a skid or conjtaineri; Also, it may ,be rolled under a freight container-at either side-or either end andremoved from the vother' side orfend. n Incidentally,

thebase of a commercial LCL container is about sevenfeetby nine feet. --Referring to Figs. 2,@3

and` 4,V the truck. has

couplers at the ends in the form ofv pivoted Vhooks 33 each'connected toa pair of eye-bolts 34 which are secured to-thefvertical anges of Ythe transverse channels orlchassis frame members `I 2 and I3.y f These hooks are adapted tobe connected to cables or-tothe couplersof ordinarytractors and vtlnejlike andl the 4lift trucks may be hitched .isplugged into a lamp socket orstationary outvlet andthe platformzis loweredsofthat the lift truckv may be pulled out andreturned for another .load or carried away inA a motor vehicle or truck or unloading operationsandlcontainercarto vbe use'dfor further loading dependingupon the motor` to propelY From theforegoing description, it will be seen that the lift truck is of very simple and rugged design and can be made at a fraction of the cost of the-ordinary lifttrucks having self-contained power. units. In fact, it is sufficiently light to be pushed about by hand and can be used to transfer containers or loaded skids on inclined platforms without employing any propelling motive power other than a winch and cable. It is easy to. operate to lift a container or loadedskid and can-,be carried as a part of-a load on a carrier vehicle to be used in loading or unloading it. The field of usefulness is wide. For example, itrmay be employed to shift or move heavy articles,^"such as crated automobiles, heavy ma-y 1..ch-i-nery to bemoved or adjusted, and as a jack r'lift'. .Itis contemplated that its greatest field f use will lie'intransferring LCL containers to and from-:railroad cars, automobile trucks and loading platforms. It will be understood that *ther-platforms' Yof-suchA` vehicles will vbe leveled with-loading platforms or the platforms' of railway cars,- by theimproved levelingv device disclosed in my Patent No. 1,896,883, dated FebruaryY 7, 1933.; Thusjfit will be understood that store-door ydelivery and other LCL transportation` by railroad and'automobile trucks Vwill be greatly expedited and the `cost ofV transfer' rerducedto a minimum; i v Y p 'Y Y Obviously, the vpresent invention is not restricted to the yparticular embodiment thereof h ereinvshown and described. Moreover, itis not indispensable that all the features of the inven- Ytion be used conjointly, since they may be employed advantageously invarious ycombinations fand sub-combinations f Y' l What-isv claimed-isz -A i fl, A lift truck-for transferring freight containers, loaded skids and the-like comprising,1in combinationfa-chassis having pairs of'wheels 4near its oppositeendsy-.a flat-lifting platform Ymountec'bon the` chassis frame; `a plurality of vcamsfor lifting and lowering theyplatform cooperating guiding -means yonthe bottom of 4the platform; and the-chassis frame' to maintain the platform in proper engagement -with the lifting Vcams and toguidethe platform to lift vertically; VaL small motorsupported byjthe chassis entirely below the platform so thatthe truck may be rolled, either end first, under'acontainer or skid; 'reduction gearing connecting the motor to operate all of the lifting cams, allof the mechanism being below the platform and within its confines; and means accessible to both ends of thetruck Vto connect the motor to a source of-current. 2.21%. lift truck-for transferring freight containers, loaded skids and the like comprising, in combination, a chassis having wheels near its opposite ends; a fiat lifting platform mounted on the chassis frame; a pair of spaced parallel shafts journaled in the chassis frame, each hav- V,ing av pair. ofy Vuniversal couplings; lifting cams keyed on said-shafts to raise theplatform; cooperatingpins and sockets to guide the plat- ,formfto be lifted vertically; a motor carried by the chassis frame entirely below the `platform sothat the truck may be rolled, either end first, Y lunder a container or skid; and reduction gearing hconnectingfthe motor to drive said shafts.

3. Al lift .truck for transferring freight containers, loaded skids-.and the like comprising, in. combination, a chassis having a pair of wheels ateach end; a flat lifting platform mounted on the chassisA frame; a pluralityof cams for liftingand loweringfthe platform; asmall electric motor mounted below the platform so that the truclrmayV be rolled, either end first, under a container or skid; reduction gearing connecting the motor to operate said lifting cams; a. pairy of electric cables connected to the motor extending to the opposite ends of the truck and adapted near its opposite ends and structural angles atv its sides; a substantially rectangular lifting platform mounted on the'chassis frame and having a plurality of transverse supporting members;

Wheels carried by said transverse structural channel members near the opposite .ends of the truck; bearing brackets mountedV on ,thetranrs- Y verse structural channel members; a pair of shafts each having universal joints therein ;iour

naled in said bearing brackets; an electric motor supported by one of said transverse structural`l channel members below said platform; reduction shafts; a plurality of lifting cams carried by said shafts; and cam rollers mounted under said vplatform;Y electric cables connected to said motor and accessible from both ends of the truckA adapted to be connected to a source of current.

ABNER Ff CALLISON.

gearingconnecting the motorrto both of'said 

